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-   -   Reflexive verbs questions (http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=7728)

bricks April 21, 2010 07:15 PM

Reflexive verbs questions
 
Hi. I am currently studying reflexive verbs in Spanish and I would like to aska simple question:

How would I say "I can do it myself."

Several attempts I have had are:

Me puedo hacerlo.
Me lo puedo hacer.
Lo puedo hacerme.

Neither sound correct to me...

chileno April 21, 2010 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bricks (Post 80450)
Hi. I am currently studying reflexive verbs in Spanish and I would like to aska simple question:

How would I say "I can do it myself."

Several attempts I have had are:

Me puedo hacerlo.
Me lo puedo hacer.
Lo puedo hacerme.

Neither sound correct to me...

Nice tries!

Puedo hacerlo yo mismo.

bricks April 21, 2010 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chileno (Post 80454)
Nice tries!

Puedo hacerlo yo mismo.

I haven't come across this "mismo" yet. How do I know when to use mismo or a reflexive pronoun?

Thanks.

Edit: From what I have read further "mismo" is used in this context when it follows a pronoun? In this case "lo". Correct?

Rusty April 21, 2010 08:53 PM

Myself, when used the way it is in your sentence, is not reflexive. It is giving emphasis to the subject, and it is said 'yo mismo'. It has nothing to do with the presence of the direct object pronoun.

Quite often, the Spanish reflexive verbs will not have a direct translation into English (meaning, 'myself', or the other reflexive pronouns, won't appear in the translation).
Me peino. = I comb my hair.
Me lavo los dientes. = I brush my teeth.
Me cepillo. = I brush my hair.
Me duermo. = I'm falling asleep.

chileno April 21, 2010 11:18 PM

myself = yo mismo
yourself = tú mismo
himself = él mismo
herself = ella misma
ourselves = nosotros mismos
yourselves = ustedes mismos
themselves = ellos mismos

AngelicaDeAlquezar April 22, 2010 09:51 AM

@Bricks: Adding to what Rusty and Chileno have said,

Me puedo hacerlo. :bad:
Lo puedo hacerme. :bad:

But "me lo puedo hacer" or "puedo hacérmelo" is correct, if you mean "I can do it to myself". :)

-- ¿Te puedes hacer ese peinado en casa? -> Can you do that hairstyle at home?
-- Sí, me lo puedo hacer. / Sí, puedo hacérmelo. -> Yes, I can do it.

Ayúdame con el nudo de la corbata. No puedo hacérmelo. / No me lo puedo hacer.
Help me with the tie knot. I can't do it.

In both cases, "to oneself" is implied because the speaker is supposed to be doing something to himself/herself, like styling her hair or wearing his tie.

bricks April 23, 2010 02:42 PM

Excellent. Thank you gentlemen.

chileno April 23, 2010 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bricks (Post 80555)
Excellent. Thank you gentlemen.

Angelica is a female's name. ;)

bricks April 25, 2010 02:49 PM

I am sorry. Please accept my apologies.

AngelicaDeAlquezar April 25, 2010 06:25 PM

@Bricks: no need for apologizing. :)


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